26o THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS 



a whole biogen molecule. " Thus spontaneous regeneration of the 

 biogen molecule follows spontaneous dissimilation." 



It is evident, as Verworn points out, that any factor that increases 

 or decreases the vibration of the atoms within the biogen molecule 

 will correspondingly modify metabolism, causing either excitation or 

 depression in response to the stimulus. It is conceivable that the 

 radium rays, through their power of ionization, which alters the 

 electrical charge of the atom and the electrical relations within the 

 molecule, may modify this intramolecular atomic vibration, and so 

 produce either an acceleration or retardation of any given process 

 or processes, or an acceleration of one or more, and, at the same 

 time, a depression of the others. 



But it is quite probable that radium rays, and doubtless other 

 stimuli also, may not produce their stimulatory effects by acting 

 directly upon the biogen molecule, or whatever the reality may be 

 that corresponds to this term, but by acting upon some other sub- 

 stance in the individual cells, or by modifying some process either 

 preceding or following the elaboration of the biogen molecule. In 

 other words, the rays may act, not upon the more immediate physical 

 basis of life, but upon some non-vilal constituent other than the 

 biogen, or upon some purely chemical process, thus producing their 

 effects indirectly. The possibility of this is evident on the basis of 

 Verworn's hypothesis, as may be seen by referring to the factors 

 involved in his analysis of dissimilatory and assimilatory stimulation. 

 It is more clearly evident when we analyze various physiological 

 processes in the light of recent investigations. To this end let us 

 consider first the process of photosynthesis. 



Photosynthesis : The work of Usher and Priestley " may first 

 be referred to. These investigators adduce experimental data 

 which lead them to the conclusion that the process called by them 

 " carbon assimilation " consists of at least three steps, as follows : 



1. The conversion of CO, and UJJ into CH^O (formaldehyde) 

 and H^Oj. In this process the chlorophyll acts as an optical sen- 

 sitizer, and the vitality of the cell is not involved. 



2. The formaldehyde is removed and condensed to a sugar dy 

 the -protoplasm. 



3. The H2O2 is removed by being split up by an enzyme into 

 H2O and O, and the O set free as a gas. Thus all the reducing 

 processes are non-vital in character, and the living protoplasm func- 

 tions only in condensing the formaldehyde to sugar. 



